1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to electrical power generation and more particularly to photo voltaic electrical power generation.
2. Related Art
Today, most of the electrical power generated that is used to light and heat houses and buildings is derived from coal, petroleum, hydro electric dams, nuclear power, wind power, ocean current power and so forth. The electrical power is generated at a power plant by utility companies and delivered to end users via transmission lines and distribution lines. The electrical power is distributed within homes and businesses at usable voltages. Power meters measure power consumed and a utility company bills the end user for such consumed power.
Most currently used techniques for generating electrical power have a fuel cost. All facilities for generating electrical power have a facility cost. Further, the cost of transmission and distribution lines is substantial. Power loss during transmission of the electrical power from the power plants to the end users can be substantial. As electrical power consumption continues to increase additional facilities must be constructed to service the increase in demand.
Fossil fuels, such as petroleum and coal that produce most electrical energy are non-renewable. The price of these natural resources continues to increase. In cases of hydro electric power generation, the available electric output depends entirely upon natural circumstances such as rain fall. For instance, during years when rainfall is low, power generation is also low, which affects the entire community who use this source of electrical power. Wind power is typically only available during daylight hours and fluctuates both seasonally and based upon local weather patters. In the case of nuclear power, the technology is expensive, construction of power generating stations is expensive, and nuclear hazards cannot entirely be ruled out, in spite of extensive safeguards. Nuclear power generation is not available in many regions of the world because of security concerns.
In addition, adverse environmental effects from all of these power generation methods is enormous. In other words, each of these power generation methods has its own adverse environmental effects such as hydro electric dams adversely affecting bio-diversity and possibly causing floods of enormous destruction should a dam burst. The wind power generation takes huge amounts of land and may be aesthetically unpleasant. Coal and petroleum generation causes environmental degradation in the form of carbon dioxide and toxic emissions, causing enormous adverse effects on natural weather cycles, having damaging effects on life as a whole in the planet, in the long run. Similarly, nuclear waste can be hazardous; disposing them is very expensive and also has ability to have an adverse effect on the environment.
Moreover, with all of these above mentioned circumstances of power generation and environmental adverse affects, the average user's ability to contribute to improve the situation is next to nothing. So, the average consumer is helpless regarding these issues. Scientists for long have known that earth's only major renewable resource, as far as life is concerned, is the energy coming from sun.
These and other limitations and deficiencies associated with the related art may be more fully appreciated by those skilled in the art after comparing such related art with various aspects of the present invention as set forth herein with reference to the figures.